Revolver loader



p 7 G. GIOSBARD E'TAL 3,343,295

' REVOLVER LOADER Filed Aug. 5, 1966 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Gregory Grosbard Daniel L. Lazenberry INVENTORS BY air/# 109 E S p 1967- G. GROSBARD ETAL 3,343,295

REVOLVER LOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1966 Gregory Grosbard Daniel L. Laz'enberryINI ENTORS Bi" QM and G. GROSBARD ETAL REVOLVER LOADER 5' Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 5, 1966 r w u 2 S S Wm W m m m 0 M E 4. wnw ,9 0 Z 1v 2 M r, w mm D Y B z 2 .52 6 w l Y W. //E 8 A3 4 m m United States Patent 3,343,295 REVOLVER LOADER Gregory Grosbard and Daniel L. Lazenberry, El Paso, Tex., assignors of two percent to Texas S. Ward, El Paso, Tex., four percent to Max Brooks, ten percent to Donald L. Lozow, and one percent to Marvin Smith, Morey A. Brooks, and Steve P. Levine, jointly, all of Denver, Colo.

Filed Aug. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 570,508 9 Claims. (Cl. 42-89) The present invention generally relates to devices for loading the chambers in a revolver cylinder with cartridges in a sequential manner as the revolver cylinder is rotated and bodily moved in relation to the loading device so that the chambers in the cylinder will become sequentially aligned with cartridges disposed in a multiple clip magazine with such cartridges being automatically moved into each chamber as the cylinder is rolled under the cartridges.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for loading the chambers in a revolver cylinder in a very rapid manner to enable a revolver to be quickly reloaded in a rapid fire situation such as when a law enforcement oflicial is engaged in a gun battle or the like.

One of the well known problems encountered by various law enforcement oflicials and others employing a revolver-type hand gun is encountered when it is necessary to rapidly reload the revolver after the cartridges in the cylinder have been fired. In order to reload the revolver, the cylinder must be exposed in order to eject the spent cartridges and reinsert unfired cartridges and this is usually accomplished by manual manipulation of the cartridges by taking them out of a cartridge belt or other supply area and inserting them into the cylinder of the revolver. There have been provided some devices for holding a plurality of cartridges in the same orientation in which they assume when inserted into the cylinder so that more than one cartridge can be inserted into the chambers in the cylinder simultaneously. However, such devices still require manual insertion of the cartridges which requires the expenditure of considerable time depending upon the manual dexterity and other conditions existent at the time of reloading. It will be appreciated that in certain instances, time is of the utmost essence and any time delay in reloading can frequently result in dire consequences.

The present invention provides a device for loading the revolver cylinder without requiring manual insertion of the cartridges intothe chambers by providing a guide mechanism and a control mechanism operative in response to rolling movement of the cylinder to insert a cartridge in each chamber of the cylinder as the chambers become sequentially aligned with the endmost cartridge in a plurality of side-by-side clips each of which has a plurality of cartridges therein with the number of clips being equal in number to the number of chambers in the cylinder so that the cylinder may be reloaded a number of times from the clips thereby providing a structure for quickly and easily loading the chambers in a revolver cylinder and which may be effectively utilized whenever it is desired to load a revolver, a plurality of revolvers or reload a revolver a number of times.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details 65 of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view illustrating the loading device of the present invention illustrating the association of the revolver cylinder therewith during the loading operation;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the construction of FIGURE 1 with portions of the revolver cylinder and loading device illustrated in section for showing the relationship of components;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse, sectional view illustrating the association of the cylinder chamber, the cartridge to be loaded into the cylinder chamber and the solenoid ejector for the cartridge as well as the track mechanism and control mechanism therefor;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of one of the cartridge clips with portions thereof broken away illustrating the structural details thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a detailed sectional view illustrating the association of two adjacent cartridge clips;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 66 of FIGURE 5 illustrating further structural details of the components of a cartridge clip;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse, sectional view taken along section line 77 of FIGURE 4 illustrating further structural details of the adjacent cartridge clips;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmental plan sectional view illustrating schematically the association of the components of the loading device and the revolver cylinder;

FIGURE 9 is a detail fragmental sectional view illustrating the employment of an arcuate magnet insert disposed in each groove of the revolver cylinder for initially orientating the cylinder in a predetermined rotative position for alignment of the revolver cylinder with the cartridge clips; and

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the arcuate magnet illustrated in FIG. 9.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the revolver loader of the present invention which is illustrated as supported from the waist-encircling belt 12 of a person having use for the device such as a policeman or the like. It is pointed out that the device may be supported in any orientation where it is desirable to load a revolver, a plurality of revolvers or rapidly reload a revolver. For example, the device may be mounted in the vehicle of a law enforcement agency or in any other desired locality. In this embodiment of the invention, the loading device is supported from the belt 12 by loops 14 or other suitable means for enabling removal of the loading device when desired. The loader includes a body 16 having an arcuate surface generally conforming with the belt 12 so that the magazine structure generally designated by the numeral .18 may project forwardly therefrom so that a person having a revolver 20 grasped by the hand 22 in the usual manner may orientate the revolver in such a manner that the revolver cylinder 24 will roll from an inner position forwardly along the magazine 18 so that the chambers 26 in the cylinder 24 may be sequentially loaded with unfired cartridges 28 so that when the revolver 20 reaches the outer end of the magazine 18, all of the chambers 26 in the cylinder 24 will be loaded. As is conventional in revolvers in which the cylinder 24 swings laterally for unloading and loading, the ejector shaft 30 which rotatably journals the cylinder and also serves to operate the ejector 32 at the opposite end of the cylinder 24 projects below the cylinder in the orientation generally illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The body 16 includes an inclined wall surface 34 having a laterally projecting flange 36 at the upper edge thereof for engagement with the top surface of the cylinder 24 when inserted thereunder and the end of the wall 34 is provided with a flange 38 having a guide flange 40 upstanding from the free edge thereof which forms a guide for engaging the lower end of the ejector shaft 30. The inclined wall 34 curves into an outwardly extending generally straight wall structure 42 which forms the inner surface of a vertical body 44 with the lower flange or wall 38 being continuous along the length of the wall 42 and the outwardly extending upper flange 36 also being continuous and provided with a downwardly and inwardly opening guide surface 46 receiving the upper end of the cylinder shaft 30 and a plurality of longitudinally spaced projecting teeth 48 which interengage with the ejector ribs 50 to rotate the cylinder 24 as it is moved longitudinally outwardly with the lower end of the shaft 30 engaging the guide flange 40 and the upper end thereof engaging the guide surface or flange 46.thus retaining the rotational axis of the cylinder 24 generally parallel to the wall surface 42 with the periphery of the cylinder 24 actually rolling against the wall surface 42 and received in a recess 52 therein which may, in some instances, not be necessary but will serve to effectively orientate the chambers 26 in a vertical position during movement of the cylinder 24 longitudinally outwardly and during rotational movement of the cylinder 24 as it rolls outwardly of the magazine 18.

For positioning the cylinder 24 so that it is in timed relation to the cartridges, there is provided a pair of magnets 54 and 56 which generally conform with the usually provided longitudinal grooves 58 in the exterior surface of the cylinder 24 which do not extend throughout the length thereof as illustrated in FIGURE 3. The permanent magnets 54 and 56 will attract the cylinder 24 in a manner that the projecting rounded ends of the magnets 54 and 56 will enter the grooves 58 to orientate the cylinder in a particular rotative relation to the inclined wall 34 and the guide and trackway surfaces so that as the cylinder 24 is moved toward the wall surface 42 and then along parallel to the wall surface, the cylinder will be rotated in such a manner that the projections 50 on the ejector will come into registry between the projections 48 on the upper track or guide 36 to provide a structure whereby the chambers 26 which, of course, are positively orientated in relation to the ejector projections will have a predetermined orientation in relation to the magazine as it is moved longitudinally thereof.

The magazine 18 includes a plurality of insertable and removable clips generally designated by the numeral 60 each of which receives a plurality of cartridges 28. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the clips 60 are orientated in inclined relation and are arranged in side-by-side position in the magazine 18 which includes a bottom wall 62 secured to the body 44 as by fasteners 64 or any other suitable structure. The magazine 18 also includes a top wall 66 and end walls 68. The outer side wall of the magazine 18 is in the form of movable doors or panels 70 or may be opened for enabling insertion and removal of the clips 60 to enable the supply of cartridges in each clip to be replenished. The inner wall of the magazine 18 is designated by numeral 72 and the outwardly projecting flange 36 is a continuation thereof with the inner ends of the clips 60 overlying the chambers 26 as the cylinder 24 is rolled along the wall surface 42 for injection of the cartridges 28 into the chambers 26.

An ejecting mechanism generally designated by the numeral 74 is provided in overlying relation to each of the clips with the ejecting mechanism being in the form of a solenoid 76 having a movable core and plunger 78 which will be activated to force a cartridge 28 downwardly into the chamber 26 when the chamber 26 is aligned with a cartridge 28 at the end of a clip. The solenoid 76 is battery operated as indicated at 80 with the battery being either a replaceable dry cell type battery, a rechargeable power pack or the like. A closure panel 82 is provided for enabling batteries to be changed or replaced if this type of structure is employed.

Orientated in the body 44 at longitudinally spaced points is a plurality of switches 84 each of which has a plunger or button 86 projecting slightly outwardly from the wall surface for engagement by the peripheral surface of the cylinder 24 with the area of the cylinder 24 between the grooves 58 being orientated for engaging the switch buttons 86. As illustrated in FIGURE 8, the first switch button to be engaged by the cylinder 24 will be adjacent the permanent magnet 56. However, in order for the solenoid to eject a cartridge into the first chamber, the second switch button 86 as viewed in FIGURE 8 will also have to be engaged by the cylinder 24. When this occurs, both switch buttons 86 will be depressed which will activate a solenoid 88 having a plunger 90 associated with the wall surface 42 so that the plunger 90 will be extended and engage a groove 58 of the cylinder 24 thus locking the cylinder 24 against rotation due to the fact that the cylinder also is engaged with the projections 48 on the flange and in the preferred operational procedure, actually two solenoids will be energized to engage two of the grooves 58 which will orientate a chamber below a solenoid 76 intermediate the solenoids 88. As soon as the solenoids 86 have orientated the plungers 90 into the grooves 58 thus locking the cylinder from rotation and positively aligning the cylinder chamber 26 with the cartridge in the first clip, the first solenoid will be actuated to eject the cartridge into the chamber. When the solenoid ejector plunger 78 is returned to its up position, the solenoids 88 will be deenergized thus retracting the lock plunger 90 and enabling the cylinder 24 to rotate to the next position.

Thus, in order for the cylinder to be locked in position, two of the surface areas on opposite sides of the groove must be engaged with the switch buttons 86 and the solenoid plunger will lock in a groove 58 and the cartridge ejecting solenoid will then be actuated through a cycle of movement and the solenoid plunger 88 will be retracted after which the cylinder may roll to the next position at which time the next two switch buttons which will include one of the preceding switch buttons will be actuated for actuating the structure in the next cycle of operation. The specific construction and arrangement of the electrical circuitry is not disclosed inasmuch as this arrangement will be conventional in construction and may involve printed circuitry or any other suitable and conventional electrical circuitry and wiring.

In some instances, it may be desirable to more positively orientate the cylinder 24 in position and in order to accomplish this, there is provided an arcuate ceramic magnet 92 secured in the grooves by an epoxy resin bonding agent or the like which also serves as an insulation material for the permanent ceramic magnet which may have the opposite poles thereof at or near the ends of the magnet which will assure that the grooves 58 will be associated with the permanent magnets 54 and 56 which may have opposite poles orientated at the upper and lower ends thereof to attract the poles in the magnets 92 which not only will positively align the grooves with the ends of the magnets 54 and 56 but also serve as a means for holding the gun in position at the entrance end of the loader even if the gun is released by the person using the loader.

As an additional holding and orientating device, a permanent magnet 94 may be mounted on the end of the cylinder shaft 30 for association with a magnet 96 on the inwardly facing flange 40 with the opposite poles thereof being so arranged that the cylinder shaft 30 will be securely orientated in operative position in the loader.

The specific construction of the cartridge clips 60 is illustrated in FIGURES 4-7 and each clip includes an outer longitudinal channel-shaped member 100 slidably received in laterally facing channels 102 which are formed along opposed edges of frame members 104 which are in the shape of I beams and are integral or rigidly fixed to the magazine wall structure. The outer ends of the frame members 104 may be interconnected by a transverse member 106 having a leaf spring 110 attached thereto having a detent or olfset end portion 112 for retaining the clips 60 in position therein by engagement With a transverse wall or end member 114 as illustrated in FIGURE 4. Disposed in the channel-shaped outer member 100 is a movable inner member 116 which can slide inwardly and outwardly to enable the insertion of the cartridges from the upper end of the clip 60 by dropping them into the outer member 100 so that the lips on the cartridges will rest on the inwardly extending flange at the bottom of the channel-shaped member 100. A follower 118 is provided for engaging the cartridges 28 and includes an arcuate wall 120 conforming with the cartridge and a pair of coil springs 122 of rectangular crosssectional configuration is provided for the follower 118 and the ends thereof are mounted on projecting members 124 carried by the follower 118 and the end wall 114 respectively. As the outer member and inner member 100 and 116 are moved longitudinally and telescop ically, the follower 118 will be retracted thus exposing the top surface of the lower flange of the member 100 which extends beyond the upper flange. When the outer and inner members 100 and 116 are telescoped inwardly into collapsed position, the follower 118, of course, will engage the outermost cartridge and urge all of the cartridges toward the inner end of the clip which has a U- shaped spring member 126 provided thereon which has an integral depending U-shaped collar 128 provided with longitudinal slits 130 and an inwardly bowed portion 132 which frictionally retains the cartridge but which can expand sufficiently to enable it to be moved downwardly. For retaining the last cartridge 28 in position, a pair of spring tongs 134 are struck out from the inner member 116 with which the collar 126 is integral so that the endmost cartridge will be snapped into place by the springs 134 which are of insufiicient strength to prevent movement of a cartridge into the collar 126 but will prevent the cartridge from moving back out of that position and will retain the cartridge in place until the ejector mechanism is operated.

The supporting frame 102 is provided with a laterally extending lug 136 which will limit the insertion of the magazines in place and any suitable structure may be provided for withdrawing the follower 118 when the inner member 116 is moved outwardly in relation to the outer member 100 and a friction type of device may be provided for retaining the members 100 and 116 in extended position while the cartridges are being dropped in place after which telescopic movement of the members 100 and 116 can be accomplished by merely overcoming the frictional resistance to movement.

Various structures may be provided for retaining the cartridges in the clip, retaining the components of the clip in adjusted position commensurate with a structure which will be long lasting and dependable. For example, a substantial portion of the structure may be constructed of plastic materials or of metal and various other means may be provided for supplying the cartridges or ejecting them in proper timed sequence to the cylinder.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A revolver loader comprising an elongated body,

positioning means on said body for receiving, guiding and rotating a revolver cylinder as it moves parallel to and adjacent said body, and means on said body for ejecting cartridges into the chambers in the cylinder sequentially as the chambers are orientated in sequentially longitudinally spaced positions along the body.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said body includes a magazine having a plurality of cartridge clips removably mounted therein with each cartridge clip receiving a plurality of cartridges, said means for ejecting cartridges including a plurality of solenoid actuated ejector plungers overlying the clips with the ejector plunger overlying the endm-ost cartridge in the clip for ejecting the endmost cartridge into a chamber in the revolver cylinder.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for positioning the cylinder includes a plurality of retractable and extendible plungers mounted in said body for engagement with longitudinal grooves in the outer periphery of the cylinder for locking the cylinder temporarily in position in alignment with a cartridge to be ejected into the chamber.

-4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating the cylinder includes a longitudinally elongated flange having a plurality of spaced teeth projecting therefrom, said teeth adapted to engage circumferentially spaced projections orientated about the center of the rotational axis of the cylinder and on the end of the cylinder disposed upwardly when loading.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said body includes an arcuately curved portion adapted to be disposed against the surface of the .body adjacent the waist of the wearer for mounting the loading device in position for orientating the revolver at the inner end of the elongated body adjacent the waist area of the wearer and then moving the revolver outwardly for reloading the revolver cylinder.

6. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein said elongated body is provided with magnet means thereon, said revolver cylinder having attached magnet means therein for orientating the cylinder about its rotational axis to initially position one of the chambers in the cylinder in alignment with the cartridge ejecting means.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said body includes a magazine overlying the longitudinal flange and including a plurality of cartridge clips mounted therein, each cartridge clip receiving a plurality of cartridges, means orientated above the cartridge clip for ejecting the endmost cartridge (from each clip into a corresponding aligned chamber.

8. The structure as defined in claim 7 wherein said means overlying each clip includes solenoid actuated ejector plungers, and means mounted on said body for engagement by the cylinder when a chamber of the cylinder is aligned with an endmost cartridge in one of the clips for actuating the corresponding ejection plunger thereby assuring positive alignment of the ejector plunger, cartridge and chamber in the cylinder.

9. The structure as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for positioning the cylinder includes lock means mounted on the body adapted to engage longitudinal grooves in the periphery of the cylinder for preventing rotation thereof until the ejection plunger has completed its cycle of movement and completely inserted the cartridge into the empty chamber.

No references cited. BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A REVOLVER LOADER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY, POSITIONING MEANS ON SAID BODY FOR RECEIVING GUIDING AND ROTATING A REVOLVER CYLINDER AS IT MOVES PARALLEL TO AND ADJACENT SAID BODY, AND MEANS ON SAID BODY FOR EJECTING CARTRIDGES INTO THE CHAMBERS IN THE CYLINDER SEQUENTIALLY AS THE CHAMBERS ARE ORIENTED IN SEQUENTIALLY LONGITUDINALLY SPACED POSITIONS ALONG THE BODY. 